A Feud Never Settled
by SeekingSalem
Summary: -Warning. Written before the fifth book- Lily, Rose and Petunia Evans. The most important parts of Fieldcrest elementary. Until a letter arrives by owl post for Lily and everything changes.
1. Chapter one

Chapter One: Lily Evans  
  
Everyone at Fieldcrest Elementary school knew Lily Evans. The sweet 10 year old even tempered representative of Mr. Graham's 5th grade class. But like every popular girl it was never JUST Lily Evans when she was brought up in a conversation. When she was mentioned so were her sisters. Everyone envied the Evan's girls. They were all in the same school, and they got along like the best of friends. It was everyone's dream to be on their team when they were outside at recess because they made a great team and when they worked together. They always won.  
Lily was the oldest. She was pretty with her dark red hair and emerald green eyes. Her style for spring was skirts that came to just above her knees and a spaghetti strap top. She despised the repulsively short shorts that were popular among most girls these days but she hated the thought of ruining her looks by wearing guys shorts or even worse, adult sized shorts. Rose was in forth grade. She had black hair and the same emerald green eyes as Lily. She was just as popular as Lily in her grade but she was a tomboy. She wore sporty shorts and basketball or some other sports shirts. She had her cartilage pierced and she always wore her hair in a pony tail. Petunia was the youngest. She had blond hair and blue eyes she was in third grade and she basically copied Lily's style. The three of them were the most admired group in Fieldcrest.  
  
"Strike three! Lily's team wins!" The small team consisting of seven students cheered after Lily threw the last pitch of the recess kickball game. Petunia and Rose went to hug their sister and she hugged them back while managing to yell good try at the other team. The rest of the team that had formed that year through Rose's influence came to slap hands with Lily, Rose and Petunia. Saying things like,  
"Great job" and "I knew we could do it."  
Josh Caverin, the darkly featured boy every fifth grade girl had a crush on came and hugged Lily saying what a wonderful job she did. When he let her go she blushed while she was smiling at him. She was just flipping her hair over her shoulder when they all heard a whistle blow three times. The cluster of students on the playground and on the pavement began running towards the recess attendants and lining up with the rest of their class. Lily made her way to the front of her classes line, as she was the line leader and jubilantly watched as Josh came beside her to the front of the guys line. She turned towards where the lower-class men were lining up and saw Rose was the front of her classes line and Petunia was the head of hers. This made her proud and she smiled a friendly smile at them and offered them a wink. Her class patiently waited while the rest of the school went in ahead of them. Finally when they had all cleared away Lily and Josh lead their class in to the large brick building in front of them. They steered to the left then continued down the brightly lit hallways covered with paintings done in there art classes until they reached room 34. They went in and sat at there desks then naturally began talking until Mr. Graham hushed them. "Class!" He cleared his throat and patiently waited until the talking had subsided then said,  
"As you most likely are aware, today is sadly your last day of elementary school." The class cheered and clapped in a joyous way.  
"I'm proud to say you have all successfully completed this year and will be going to the middle school next year!" Everyone cheered again. "Though I'm not to sure if I can say the same for Ms. Halenzee's class." He chuckled nervously. The rest of the class joined in. There were two fifth grade teachers. Mr. Graham was the nice and fun teacher and Ms. Halenzee was the freaky witch like, strict teacher. Obviously everyone preferred Mr. Graham.  
"Well as you know, we, meaning Ms. Halenzee and I made memory books for all of you and you will have the rest of the afternoon to go to your friends, old teachers, activity instructors and I dare say... me? To have us write you a little note so when you are in high school and are despising your life in general you can look back and note the simplicity of life. Have a wonderful summer and good luck in middle school." The class clapped at his last words and began shuffling about the room grouping with their friends and planing where to venture. Lily decided to start with her kindergarten teacher who was all the way across the school then work back toward her current class room therefore covering all the territory. So she began walking with a friend of hers named Lisa towards the lower-class men hallways. An hour later Lily had gotten her kindergarten, first, second, third and forth grade teachers signatures and luck wishes. Plus she had gotten the same from her art teacher, gym teacher, music teacher, librarian, orchestra conductor (she played the cello), and from the principle, assistant principle and Ms. Halenzee. When she got back to room 34 Lily waited on the line to get Mr. Grahams signature. While she was on line Josh came up to her.  
"Hey Lil." He said "Oh hey Josh! Did you get many signatures?"  
"Lot's, yeah." He said staring at the floor.  
"That's good." Lily smiled.  
"Oh. Lil, I have a little room still on one of my pages. You wanna sign it?"  
"Oh course! Can you sign mine too?" Lily asked "yeah OK." "Great."  
Lily took his memory book and wrote, 'Josh, The year has been great. Thanks for the help on the kickball team. My sisters and I appreciated it. I really hope to see you next year! Love Lily'  
She handed his book back to him and he hers. Then she moved up to Mr. Grahams desk as she was the next person in line. "Hello Lily." Mr. Graham said pleasantly "Hey Mr. Graham."  
"Did you enjoy your last day?" "Yeah it was great!"  
"Good" He said then began scribbling a note down in her memory book. When he handed it back to her he said to her,  
"Good luck in what ever life may lead you through."  
She smiled at him then checked the clock. She had five minutes more in Elementary school and then she was a middle school student. Officially. She went to her desk and took out the folder she had brought for the last day of school which was full of loose leaf paper. Then she took out her pencil and pen she had also brought. She laid them on the desk then went in to the cubby room to get her bag. When she got to the back, Josh was there. "Hey Josh." He turned and when he saw who it was he smiled.  
"Hey Lil." He sighed and said. "I'm going to miss this school."  
"Me too." Lily said agreeing. Though she really wanted to go to middle school she knew she would miss the daily kickball games and Mr. Graham and all the other teachers. "Well. Good-bye I guess, until next year." He said.  
"Yeah." Lily said sadly.  
"I left my phone number in your memory book. You'll call me when you get your schedule right?" Josh asked. Lily smiled "Of course." He hugged her then said "Well, have a good summer Lil. Say bye to your sisters for me. I guess I wont see them again for awhile." When Lily nodded that she would say good-bye for him they both exited the cubby room and Lily went to her desk. She put her memory book, her folder and her writing utensils in her bag then waved good-bye to Mr. Graham as she exited room 34 in the Fieldcrest Elementary school for the last time. 


	2. Chapter two

Chapter two: "You're a witch!"  
  
"Rose! Petunia!" Lily ran over to her two sisters who were waiting for her out side the school. "Hey Lily!" Petunia said, "The last day of school has finally come!"  
"How does it feel Lilse? Your going to be in middle school next year! No more Elementary school!"  
"I feel great. OK so, get out those report cards. Let's see who you guys got."  
Every year Lily, Rose and Petunia opened their report cards at the same time to see what teachers they got after saying, at the same time 'we want good teachers' It was strange but Lily always seemed to get exactly what teacher she wanted.  
They got out their report cards and held them out ready to open. They closed their eyes and said "We want good teachers." Then they opened their report cards and peeked at their teachers. Petunia let out a cry of joy and Rose groaned.  
"Ms. Halenzee." Lily's shoulders dropped. "Poor Rose" She said and hugged her.  
"Oh well." Rose said. "Who'd you get Petunia?"  
"Mrs. McKensie! You're teacher this year!"  
"Oh good!" Lily said happily.  
"You're luuuuucky." Rose said to Petunia. She three of them then began walking home. They had the convenience of living less then a quarter of a mile away from the school meaning there house was directly down the street. They quickly got to their yard and walked in the front door to a welcoming smell.  
"Brownies!" Petunia cried with delight while dropping her bag to the floor and running to the kitchen. She ran straight into her mothers awaiting arms,  
"Hello my flowers girls! How was you last day of school?"  
"Great!" Petunia said, "I got Mrs. McKensie!"  
"Wonderful!" Her mother said smiling.  
"It was good." Rose said.  
"It was perfect." Lily said "That's good my middle school daughter!" Lily hugged her mother.  
"And Rose... who did you get?"  
"Halenzee" Rose said with disgust.  
"You didn't." Her mother said sadly. "Oh I'm sorry hunny."  
"That's OK. I'll live." Rose smiled.  
"That's my daughter!" The girls mother said proudly. "Why don't you three go outside and I'll bring you some iced tea?"  
"OK" They said and they went out the back door.  
A couple moments later their mother came out with a pitcher of iced tea and three glasses. The girls took them and walked down the path in their back yard.  
A few years ago the girls and their father had spent the whole summer making a tree house. This required wood and so when they were dragging the wood into the woods a path sort of formed. All that was noticeable of the tree house when you walked by, was a rope latter on the side of a tree. When you looked up though, there was a very fine looking tree house with three hammocks in it in case they ever felt like sleeping out side which they occasionally did.  
So the girls climbed into the tree house after they had walked down the path. When up, they set the pitcher on a little table they had made and all laid down in their hammocks. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could live here?" Lily asked her sisters.  
"That would be awesome." Petunia said "I wish the summer would last for ever." Rose said. "That would be nice." Lily agreed "What did everyone say in your memory book Lilse?" Rose asked.  
"I'm not sure. I didn't have time to read it yet." Lily answered.  
"Oh then that'll be something fun to do tonight, or tomorrow." Rose said.  
"Yeah."  
The rest of the afternoon went the same. They lazed about enjoying their first day off. Then slept in the tree house. The next morning Lily woke up first. She climbed down from the tree house and walked down the path into her yard. She went in the back door to see her mother cooking pancakes and her father reading the news paper. "Morning Lil!" Her father said as he saw her come in. "Hey dad! I came into read my memory book. I didn't get a chance to yesterday."  
"Alright. Are Petunia and Rose up yet?"  
"Nope." She said then walk down the hall and reached into her bag. She got the book out and sat down right where she was in the hall way. The first one she opened to was Josh's. He wrote, Lil, Hey have a good vacation, I look forward to seeing you next year! Josh "Real sweet." Lily muttered to herself. She read the rest of them and they all basically said the same thing. Only Mr. Graham's was different. His said,  
Lily, It's a rare occasion to be able to teach such a student as you. It was a pleasure. A couple words of advice as you begin your next few school years. Make and keep strong relationships. Friends are the roots of life and will be there if your having a hard time. No doubt you will lead a powerful and meaningful life. Best of luck to you and in times of sorrow don't dwell on the past. Mr. Graham.  
Lily was confused at his note. It wasn't your usual last day of school happy note, in times of sorrow don't dwell on the past? What kind of middle school advice was that? Oh well. She sighed. She heard Rose and Petunia come in through the back door so she went to join them in the kitchen.  
"Hey guys! Finally up?" Lily smiled at them.  
"Yep." Rose said "Pancakes!" Petunia delightfully looked at the table.  
"Yup. Sit down and dig in." Their mother said cheerfully.  
Around fifteen minutes later when Lily was about to bite in to her second pancake something flew in to the window and dropped a letter right on to Lily's plate. Her mother screamed and Petunia ducked under the table but Lily was a little to surprised to move. When it dropped it's burden it simply flew back out the window. There was silence for a couple moments and Petunia finally cautiously stuck her head above the table. They were all staring at the envelope in front of Lily. Finally after about a minute of silence Rose said,  
"That was so cool." In an amazed voice still staring at the letter. "An owl just delivered you a letter."  
"Do you think it was remote control operated?" Lily said in barley above a whisper.  
They were all quite again for a couple seconds then Petunia said,  
"Are you going to open it?"  
Lily's father tore his eyes from the envelope so they could rest on his daughter.  
"It's addressed to you Lil."  
"It's too thin to be a bomb." Rose pointed out.  
Lily managed a smile at that comment. She reached out and grabbed the envelope. Looking at each of her family members she noticed Rose who looked excited, her mother who looked terrified, her father who looked bewildered and Petunia who was just looking at her anxiously.  
"Well I guess we won't know what it is till I open it..." Lily said then ripped it open.  
Out from the envelope she pulled two pieces of parchment. Unfolding the first she looked at it for a moment then laughed but seeming to think better of that reaction she change to plain old complete confusion. She mouthed something no one could quite make out then her mother getting slightly impatient said, "What does it say?"  
"It says... Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore Order of Merlin first class, Grand sorc., Chief warlock, supreme Mugwump, International confed. of Wizards, Dear Miss Evans, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours Sincerely Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress. PS As we are aware you are a muggle born and come from a muggle family or to put it more plainly there are no witches or wizards in your family besides you, we have made arrangements for our owl to come back to your home at the same time tomorrow. Simply write your reply and give the letter to him or her. Thank you." Lily stopped and turned to the second page, "There's a list to! A History Of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot? one wand? No broomsticks for first years?!" Lily looked at her mother who had her hand up at her mouth and looked as though she would burst from confusion.  
"Freaks." Lily heard a squeaky voice say. She looked down and saw Petunia with a horrified expression on her face. "They're freaks."  
"Honey don't say that. I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation for all of this." Lily's father said.  
"No. That- that owl is coming back. I'm getting out of here." With that she ran from the room. "Wait Petunia!" Lily tried to follow her but Petunia spun around and said,  
"Don't you come near me." Her tone was frightening. To frightening for a nine year old. So Lily stopped dead in her tracks and just listened to her sister run up the stairs and slam the door to her room.  
Lily turned back and went to the kitchen where Rose was reading the letter. Lily went up next to her and Rose asked,  
"Do you think it's true? This school?"  
"No..." Her mother gave a stressed laugh. "Right?" She asked her husband.  
He looked like he was contemplating the situation. "Well it would certainly explain a lot Lily. Like as to why you always get the exact teacher you want. Or just getting what you want in general. It seems like you always have a way of getting what you want. Or staying out of danger."  
"But darling it can't be possible... a- a school for magic? Come on now..."  
"Well. I think that we should write a letter to this, this Albus Fervencoover-"  
"Dumbledore. Dad" Lily corrected him "Dumbledore... right I think we should write him a letter and if that owl comes back tomorrow... than we'll give it to him and see what happens."  
"That's sound good." Rose said. "Wow Lily. Wouldn't it be fabulous? A school for magic!"  
  
Lily's father true to his word wrote a letter to Albus Dumbledore which stated the questions, where was this school located, where could they get the supplies and why was this letter sent to her. The next morning, true to McGonagalls word, an owl arrived while they were eating breakfast. Rose who was the only one not mortified by the bird gave the handsome tawny the letter and it flew off. Petunia still hadn't come out of her room and she wouldn't talk to Lily. Which greatly upset her because Petunia was basically one of Lily's best friends. She refused to come out of her room until they were positive no more owls were coming but considering one should be coming in response to their letter, her words didn't comfort them much.  
The next morning the owl returned and dropped a letter in front of Lily's father. He opened it and read,  
Dear Mr. Evans,  
In response to your letter I am required to tell you that Hogwarts is located in the North. The supplies can be purchased in the wizarding village of Diagon alley which if you simply go to the leaky cauldron in London between a book shop and a record store. Tom will direct you to the alley. Your daughter Miss Lily Evans recieved a letter to our fine magic school for no other reason then she is a witch. She was born with the powers of a witch and when properly trained she can accomplish great things with these powers.  
Sincerely,  
Albus Dumbledore After Lily's father read it out loud to the family Rose began to laugh.  
"What's so funny?" Her mother asked "Rather imprecise isn't he?" Rose giggled.  
Her father let out a chuckle. "Yes I suppose so. This school Lily, it's in the north." Now her father just began to laugh. After a while Lily and her mother joined in. It felt good to laugh after two days of stress and so they took the chance whole heartedly. "Well" Lily's father cleared his throat. "Do you want to check it out? This Diagon alley. Do you want to go to this school? Because we aren't going to make you if you don't want to."  
Lily thought for a moment then decided,  
"I'd love to go."  
"Brilliant. I'll just send this back then won't I? The owl I see conveniently stayed."  
So he wrote a note saying Lily would go to the school, tied it to the owls leg and sent it off.  
  
"This is awesome Lilse!" Rose said, "You're a witch!" 


	3. Chapter three

Chapter three: Diagon Alley  
  
The morning of June twenty-fifth was a sunny one. Lily, Rose and their mother were on a train on their way to London. Petunia and the three sisters father hadn't come because Petunia was refusing to have anything to do with anything which relied on birds to deliver their letters, as she despised birds. Petunia of course was only nine years old so naturally her father needed to stay home with her to look out for her.  
So here they were, Lily with her sister and mother. When the train stopped at the station in London they all got out and went into the streets. "Do you have any idea where this... Leaky Cauldron place is mum?" Lily asked "No... I suppose we'll have to ask..." Her mother said. They went to a nearby cafe and went to the man at the counter,  
"Can I help you?" "Yes I hope." Her mother said. "Do you know where the Leaky Cauldron is?"  
The man looked shocked and confused, "What? never heard of it and I've lived here all my life."  
Her mother looked unhappy with the man's response, "Are you sure?" She asked "Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry"  
"Sir? Can you just tell us were the nearest book store is?" Rose asked.  
"Sure, its right down the road on the left. Though it's rather shabby. If you want a better one come on back and I'll give you directions."  
"Thanks." Rose said and she started walking from the cafe followed by Lily who was pulling their mother by her sleeve.  
When they got to the book store Rose looked to the next shop and there was a record shop.  
"Well... here is a book shop and a record shop... but no leaky cauldron." Rose muttered.  
"Rose." Lily said and Rose looked at her. "What are you talking about. It's right there." Lily pointed in front of them and Rose and her mother looked and gasped at the same time. "That wasn't there before!" Her mother claimed "Of course it was." Lily said "It didn't appear until you pointed it out Lilse." Rose said Lily looked at them weird and said, "o....k she then directed them in to the pub. Lily first impression of the pub was "Wow" They just stood in the entrance for a minute or so taking in the... creatures. There were humans in crazy outfits, and then there were other things, vampires, zombies, gnomes? When they finally they got over their shock they shuffled to the back and came to the bar where an odd looking man was standing.  
"Can I help you?" He grunted "Um... I think I'm looking for Tom? We need to get to Diagon Al-"  
The man cut Lily's mother off obviously not caring about what she had to say.  
"Tom!" He yelled. "Get in here boy!"  
Tom was a skinny little boy with messy blond hair and big front teeth, who gave off an if-I-saw-a-girl-being-bullied-by-a-guy-I'd-help-her-but-get-beat-up-in-the-process look. He was all together not very impressive in his three sizes to big apron. "Help these people boy" They boy turned smiling, to Lily, Rose and her mother and Lily noticed 4 or 5 of his teeth were missing. She tried to smile back with out laughing which she found quite difficult.  
" 'Allo Mrs. Ms. and Ms." He said nodding his head at each of them.  
"Off to Diagon Alley are you?"  
"Yes..." Lily's mother said uncertainly.  
"Follow me then." He said cheerfully and began exiting through the back door. So they followed him out into the backyard which had nothing but a brick wall in it. "One of you going to Hogwarts then?"  
"I am." Lily said in amusement as she watched Tom trip on a root sticking out of the ground. "Well that's good. So am I!" He said while smiling at her. He then tapped a brick on the wall in front of them and suddenly, the solid wall became an archway into the most amazing town any of the three girls had seen.  
"Tom watched there reactions and chuckled a bit to himself. "Would you ladies like a guide? I don't have anything to do really."  
"Well that would be lovely. Thank you." Lily's mother said off handedly to the boy.  
"Great..." Tom said and then urged them forward. He brought them to a tall white stone building. "This is Gringotts. The bank. You'll need to switch some of that muggle money. It doesn't work well here."  
"Alright." Lily's mother nodded. They went into the building and Tom directed them to the foreign exchange area.  
"May I help you?" The dwarf at the counter asked.  
"These people want to change British money into our money." Tom said "How much are you changing ma'am?" Lily's mother asked Tom how much he thought they would need though Lily found it rather ridiculous because this boy looked no older then her.  
"I'd say after the wand, the books, the robes, the trunk, the other needed supplies and a pet if you so choose to get one that would be around 40 galleons unless you bought it all second hand."  
"That won't be necessary." Lily's mother said shaking her head. "I'd like 40 Galleons."  
"Right." The dwarf said. He told her the amount of money that was owed and she paid it. So they now had a bag full of coins.  
"Well. Off to the book shop." Tom said, they entered the shop and as soon as they mentioned Hogwarts the store keeper had their books all set and they were out in no time.  
They next went to the apothecary, the robe shop and pet shop where Lily purchased a Kitten in which she named Jeb. When they were finished with that part of their shopping, they stopped and got some ice cream.  
"Lilse you are so lucky." Rose said while slurping her rapidly dripping ice cream.  
"Why?" Lily asked.  
"Your a witch. I mean, if the village is this cool imagine the school! You don't even have to take math and social studies any more! instead you get to take transfiguration and charms! You have to tell me EVERYTHING about it when you get home at the end of the year."  
"You're allowed to go home during Christmas break." Tom said. "Though I don't think I'll be coming home. I don't care for my dad much which I'm sure you can understand after meetin' 'im" Tom in a cheerful tone.  
"Yeah, wasn't exactly the happiest fellow was he?" Lily's mother asked.  
"Nah. Hates his job." Tom said. "Doesn't much like me either come to think of it." He added.  
"That's to bad." Rose said. "Do you have any siblings?"  
"Nope. Only me." Tom said.  
"That really is to bad." Lily's mother said. "So do you already go to Hogwarts?"  
"Nah, I'm starting this year."  
"Ah so you and Lily will be able to see each other!" Lily's mother said, "Isn't that nice dear?"  
"Oh... yeah." Lily said. She was a little resistant to Tom though. She had been the most popular girl in her school and for some reason she didn't think hanging out with Tom would keep that title in her hands. "Well." Tom spoke up. "If your all done, we have one more stop."  
"Were?" Rose asked "Ollivander's wand shop." 


	4. Chapter four

Chapter Four: A Never Ending Scream  
  
After the exhausting day in Diagon Alley and after dropping Tom back off in the Leaky Cauldron, Lily Rose and Their mother were finally on the train back to their home in Fieldcrest.  
"Oh... that was the coolest day. Lilse pinch me. Make sure I'm awake." Lily laughed but pinched her sister.  
"Ow! What'd you do that for?"  
"You told me to!" "That doesn't mean you actually have to" Rose joked "Well. Whatever." Lily sighed and rested her head on the seat.  
"So you girls enjoyed yourselves today?" Their mother asked.  
"I did." Lily said "I was great." Rose said. "That was the most amazing day of my life. I've seen everything now I'm sure. I can die right now and I'll be content." She said dramatically and giggled a bit. Lily joined in.  
"If only Petunia weren't so upset." Lily said sadly. "Oh she'll get over. I think the owl just frightened her." Lily's mother said cheering her up.  
"Yeah. I guess."  
The girls soon got to the house and went in. "Dad! We're home!" Lily yelled as she got in carrying two bags full of books. "Lily! Rose! I take it you found the place." He said eying the bags.  
"Yeah oh my gosh it was amazing. I wish you and Petunia could have been there!" Rose said "That sounds like a day to remember." He said kissing his wife as she walked in the door.  
"It really was amazing. It was an entire hidden village. There were the strangest creatures there."  
"Yeah and there was this dorky kid that lead us around the place." Lily said.  
"He wasn't dorky Lily! He was very polite." Her mother said.  
"He was polite yeah, and as nice as anything but that doesn't change that he was a little dorky."  
Rose laughed in agreement.  
"Well..." Her mother said but didn't go on, so she obviously agreed with them at least a little.  
"So how was your freak town?" Came a disdainful little voice from the stairs. They all looked up to see Petunia coming down for the first time in three days.  
"Petunia that isn't fair of you to-" Lily's father started but Lily cut in.  
"How could you say that? How could you call me a freak? I thought we were friends?"  
"That was before I realized you were a- a- Witch. Only freaks do magic. They're different. You're not normal Lily." Lily felt like she had been slapped in the face. Just Four days ago her and Petunia had been hugging each other because they had won at kickball and now she absolutely hated her. Tears started rolling down her cheeks "Petunia take that back right now!" Their mother said.  
"No! She isn't normal! I don't know why you can't see that!" Petunia shrieked.  
"Stop!" Rose shouted covering her ears and scrunching her eyes shut.  
"Petunia Why are you being so mean?" Lily yelled at her.  
"Your a freak. They used to burn witches. They should burn you!" Petunia yelled back "Stop fighting!" Rose whispered through sobs but everyone was to surprised at Petunia to hear her. Petunia had leaped on Lily and was slapping her and hitting her with all the stealth a nine year old could find inside themselves. Lily tried to defend herself but Petunia was full of rage and no one can save them self from rage. Their parents were trying to tear them apart with out much luck. Lily was screaming get off or just simply screaming at the top of her lungs while Petunia was yelling how much she hated Lily. Rose was whispering to her self for them to stop. She had her eyes wide and her ears covered with her hands and she was shaking so hard she was having trouble standing.  
When Their parents finally were able to tear them apart Petunia was still trying to get at Lily and Lily was sobbing and clutching her arm which was torn up from Petunia's nails while she was at the same time trying to make her nose stop bleeding. Over and over Lily was muttering "I'm sorry, I'm sorry Tunia. I'm sorry" She was saying this through sobs while Petunia was screaming,  
"I hate you! You're dead! I never want to see you again!"  
While Her father was making sure Petunia was far away from Lily he looked around and said,  
"Rose? Rose hunny! Where's Rose?"  
Their mother looked around too then called,  
"Rose?! Rose hunny where are you?"  
Petunia stared at Lily and said, "She probably finally realized how evil you were Lily. She was probably to scared to stay."  
"STOP IT!" Lily yelled at her. "Rose isn't here! We have to look for her."  
"Maybe you should stay here though she isn't going to want YOU to find her."  
"PETUNIA! STOP THIS NOW! Go look for your sister. Lily you come in the bathroom and wash up." Lily's mother brought Lily in to the bathroom and she heard Petunia leave through the back door while her father went up the stairs. Her mother began running cold water over the marks on Lily's arm and putting a tissue under her nose to wipe up the blood. Lily heard her father come down stairs and exit through the front. Her nose stopped bleeding and her mother got her an ice pack to keep on her arm. "I'm going to look around down here. Maybe she's hiding under a table or something." Lily said still crying.  
"OK" Her mother hugged her then began looking too. Lily was looking in the bigger cabinets in the kitchen when she heard the most awful scream she had and ever would hear. Her head shot up immediately and she darted out the door going towards the scream she recognized as Petunia's, She raced along the path in their back yard praying,  
"Please let Petunia be okay." She whispered to herself. When she saw Petunia she was just standing wide eyed and screaming. Nothing appeared wrong but when Lily got closer she stopped dead, her eyes widening and face paling. Her mouth opened to scream too but no sound came out. They were at the location of their tree house but unlike the normal sight of a rope latter against a tree, the saw the latter, large metal bolts and all, crumpled on the ground with their beloved sister, Rose lying dead underneath it. 


	5. Chapter five

Chapter Five: The beginning all over again  
  
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures...  
  
Lily was in a daze. She was listening to a minister recite a verse from the bible. Tears were streaming down the peoples faces around her but she wasn't crying. She was beyond tears and had been for days. 23 days ago she had followed a scream and found her sister dead. That scream was implanted in her heart. It would never go away. For the first ten days or so Lily had done nothing but cry. She couldn't stop thinking about what a wonderful day it had been before that. They were laughing. Now her face was tear scarred as her spirit. She would be going to Hogwarts in a month. At least there no one would know. Lily hated pity and she knew that's all she would be getting for the next month. In fact pity poured from the peoples eyes and very movements all around her. The ceremony went on and people cried more. Her mother tried to say a something about Rose for the group but didn't manage to get three words before she broke down and began sobbing in her husbands arms. The ceremony ended Lily's family stayed around for an hour or so then went home. Lily went strait to her room and laid in bed for a long time before drifting in to a reckless sleep.  
It was 1:00 in the morning when she awoke screaming. Her mother ran to her room and sat on her bed hugging her. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" Lily sobbed. "I know." Her mother whispered rocking her back and forth. "I know."  
"It's my fault I know it is. I just know it's my fault."  
"shhh. Don't say that. It wasn't anyone's fault. It was an accident."  
"She's gone. She's gone." Lily whispered. "Shhh go back to sleep love."  
And soon after Lily and her mother were again left to their torturous dreams.  
  
That August was a month that seemed to drag on forever and a day. Around the end of the month Lily's parents began putting some of Roses things in to boxes to put in the attic. They never got to far before they felt to much sorrow to put up with it. And then they had something else to worry about. Packing Lily's trunk for Hogwarts. She brought all the things they had bought in Diagon Alley and pictures of her family, including one picture of Rose. It was taken half way through the school year when the girls team had won their first kickball game. It was just the three of them in the picture and they were all grinning their heads off. As Lily packed it tears began forming in her eyes. She looked away out the window towards the path in their back woods she hadn't been back there since the day they found Rose and she had no desire to change that. Just then the phone rang and snapped Lily back in to focus. She put the picture of Rose in side a book and tucked it at the bottom of her trunk.  
"Lily! Phone's for you hunny."  
She got up and went in to her parents room which had a phone in it and said,  
"Hello?"  
"Lily! Did you get your schedule? I'm in the same homeroom as Josh! Can you believe it!?" "That sounds amazing." Lily answered trying to sound excited for Lisa.  
"Did you get your schedule?"  
"No not yet. I'm sure I will soon."  
"Yeah, I haven't seen you a lot lately... did you hear? There isn't a kickball area in middle school. Just basketball. And we have to change for gym. Can you imagine?"  
"Sounds terrible." Lily said desiring more than anything everything was as it was at the end of the school year.  
"Well I have to go now Lily, call me when you get your schedule wont you? And we can talk about where we can meet on the first day of school."  
"Oh course. I'll talk to you soon then."  
"bye Lily"  
"bye."  
Lily hung up the phone and a tear dropped from her cheek. Reality again hit her. Nothing was the same. She wasn't going to middle school. She wouldn't see any of her friends again until perhaps Christmas break. she would probably never see Josh again and Lisa would get him instead of her. Petunia hated her and Rose was dead. She felt that she would soon start crying again but suddenly she realized that it was pointless. She straitened up and thought to herself. I have another chance. I can be who ever I want to be. I can make completely new friends. No one knows anything about me at this new school so they can never bring it up. It will simply no longer exist. No one knows about kickball, Fieldcrest, Josh, Petunia, the tree house or Rose. I can have a totally knew life. Petunia's wrong. This is the most fantastic thing ever. With this new inspiration in mind Lily walked back to her room and finished packing not thinking about Rose or Petunia at all for the first time since the summer began.  
  
Lily's parents noticed a new confidence in Lily immediately and were happy that she found it. Petunia hadn't come out of her room more then time times since the beginning of break besides to use the bathroom. And they were quite obviously worried about her but they figured that perhaps when Lily was gone and school started again and she was with her friends perhaps slowly it would go back to normal. On September first at 7 AM they brought Lily's trunk outside and Lily hugged and kissed her mom good-bye because she was staying with Petunia while her father brought her the train station. When the two of them were about to exit Petunia walked down the stairs. Lily stared at her. She hadn't seen her in a couple weeks. Her hair was tangled and the skin around her eyes was red and black from lack of sleep and crying. She had an odd assortment of clothes on and she looked very frail and thin from her lack of eating too much. "I thought I'd say good-bye to Lily." She said crisply staring at her sister. She smirked.  
Lily smiled relieved she was getting a good-bye. "Bye 'Tunia"  
"It's your fault you know." Petunia whispered "What?" Lily asked.  
"It's your fault that she's dead. It's all your fault. I just don't want you to think differently. Make sure your freak friends at your school know you're a murderer!" She said ending off yelling.  
Tears began forming in Lily's eyes as her breathing quickened but she blinked back the tears and turned beginning to walk to the car. "Bye mommy." she called over her shoulder. She waited in the car and soon her father joined her,  
"Are you okay?" He asked her concerned. She smiled a little.  
"I'm fine. I can't let what she says get to me." He stared at her for a while then nodded and started the car. She watched the house disappear as they made their way to the train station and she sighed as she thought... It's the beginning. All over again. 


	6. Chapter six

Chapter Six: The Trip to Hogwarts When they arrived at the station it was 10:45. "Good timing." Lily's dad remarked checking his watch. We've got fifteen minutes. Lets get your trunk out of here." Lily smiled breathing in the air that was slowly beginning to turn colder. "This is going to be a good year" She said mostly to her self. Her dad smiled at her and then she helped him with her trunk. They got in to the train station and he asked,  
"What platform is it?"  
Lily looked at her ticket and chuckled. "Nine and three quarters. Do you suppose it'll be between 9 and 10 then?"  
Her father laughed and lead her to the barriers nine and ten. When she arrived there Tom was standing looking around. "Lily! I was waiting for you. Figured you wouldn't know how to get through. Is this your father then?" He asked looking to her side. "Yes, Dad this is Tom. He showed mum... mum, Rose and I around Diagon Alley."  
"Nice to meet you Tom. Well I suppose you've got it all figured out then Lily? Perhaps I'll leave you now."  
"OK bye dad thanks for the ride and I'll see you at Christmas!" She hugged and kissed her father then turned to Tom. "So where's the platform?"  
"Just walk through. Walk strait in to the wall."  
"Walk through?" Lily asked laughing a bit. "Yeah walk through." "Alright." She said nervously then took hold of the cart holding her trunk and walked through the solid wall in front of her. When Tom got through he came to stand next to her and she looked at the beautiful scarlet steam engine in front of her. "It's beautiful." She muttered than turned her head towards the crowd out side of it and smiled. Her new life had begun.  
"Better look for a compartment. It's probably already stuffed."  
She nodded. "OK" They brought their trunks on to the train and Lily began looking in to the compartment scooping out which ones were a possibility. 4 older guys... 3 guys two girls all ages... two older girls... two younger guys... ah ha two younger girls and a guy. "Any room for more?" She asked smiling at them.  
One of the girls looked over at her and turned her gaze to Tom. "Tom! Hey."  
He smiled and waved.  
"Sure you two come on in!" The girl then replied. "My name Anna, this is Jenny and we were just being introduced to him..." She said indicating to the guy across from her. He stood and said. "I don't wish to sit here any longer. It's just a little too crowded." He smirked and walked out the compartment door. Anna shrugged and tossed a lock of brown hair in back of her shoulder. Adjusting her glasses she continued talking. "Right. Well like I said I'm Anna and that is Jenny. I know you Tom... what's your name?"  
"Lily" Lily answered. "Nice to meet you."  
"Great. What house will you be in?"  
"House?"  
"You're a muggle born?"  
"Er... yeah." She replied.  
"Well that rules Slytherin out. But you could tell that when you walked in the door. You're too kindly looking to be in Slytherin."  
"Thanks?" Lily replied confused. Anna was talking rather fast.  
"Anna... Slow down. You're going to give the girl a head ache." Jenny said sounding a bit bored. "When you get to the school you get sorted in to one of the four houses. There in muggle terms... dorm houses?"  
"oh!" Lily said not quite as confused as before.  
"There are four houses." The girl continued. "Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. You are sorted in to the houses basically depending on your personality. Slytherin is for the sly, the cunning. They usually aren't the kindest of folk. Hufflepuff are the very loyal and patient. Ravenclaw are the wise and Gryffindor are the brave, daring and Chivalries. I am in Ravenclaw. A third year in Ravenclaw."  
"Oh! You're a third year!"  
"yes." Jenny answered.  
"Fantastic!" Anna remarked and Lily and Tom nodded in agreement. "Well I'm going to be in Hufflepuff" Anna stated proudly. "My hole family as far back as you can go has been in Hufflepuff." Tom smiled and agreed that he would probably go to Hufflepuff too. "Where do you think I'll go?" Lily asked.  
"Ravenclaw." Anna guessed.  
"Yes Ravenclaw. Probably." Tom agreed.  
"I don't know." Jenny said, "You look like a Gryffindor to me." They all pondered a while then Lily stood and said,  
"I'm going to go for a walk." Jenny decided to come along while Anna And Tom talked and so the two of them left the compartment. Once out of ear shot of the other two Lily asked.  
"Why are you hanging out with them?" Jenny laughed a bit. "Trust me they weren't my first choice. My friends and I had an argument. There was no where else to sit. What about you?"  
"I don't know anyone else."  
"Alright well you aren't going to be a Hufflepuff Lily. I think we should have you meet someone you might be rooming with." The two of them walked along until they got to a compartment with a bunch of girls that looked to be around Jenny's age. "Amanda, any clue where your brother is?"  
Amanda looked reluctant to answer but then she decided it was fine and got up. "I'll show you."  
They left the compartment and began towards the back of the train. "Thanks for helping." Jenny muttered. "Doesn't matter. Who's that?"  
"This is Lily a first year. She was stuck in a compartment with a couple of soon to be Hufflepuffs."  
Amanda cracked a smile but then quickly remembered she was in an argument with Jenny.  
"C'mon Manda. I said I was sorry." Jenny said.  
"I know. It's Danise. She says that the fact is... you cheated with her boyfriend and that shouldn't be forgiven."  
"C'mon you know how he is... he totally put me up to it. He does it all the time. I've tried to tell her before!"  
"I believe you!" Amanda said and smiled at Jenny. She laughed then hugged her friend. "okay I'll talk to Danise." Jenny smiled. "Thanks Manda."  
"So..." Amanda started. "What do you think? Is she a Ravenclaw or a Gryffindor?"  
Lily smiled. "I think Gryffindor." Jenny answered. Amanda nodded. "Maybe. Here we are." She opened the door to a compartment and entered. Jenny and Lily followed her in and Lily found herself in a compartment with two guys and a girl. A boy with Sandy hair stood up and said, "hey Jen Jen, what's up Amanda?" "Remus, this is Lily, she's the same age as you. Unfortunately she got stuck with a few soon to be Hufflepuffs and we had to save her from the terror. Would you mind if she hung here for a while?"  
The boy named Remus looked at Lily and smiled, "Not at all. Come on in."  
"Thanks. Jenny and I have some stuff to deal with, with Danise... We'll be back in a little while though." Amanda and her waved good bye and shut the compartment door. Lily turned and looked at the three people in the room. Remus was sitting next to a boy with dark reddish brown hair and across from him was a girl with dirty blonde hair.  
"Right... Lily was it?" Remus asked. She nodded and so her continued, "Lily, I'm Remus Lupin, Amanda's brother. This is Geoffrey, and that's Ganelle. They're both first years too."  
"What's up?" She asked them.  
"Hi" they both muttered back. She sat down and they began talking about quiddich. Lily just listened as they explained how the game worked and what their favorite positions were. "You'd make a good Chaser." Remus said to her.  
"Thanks." Lily shrugged. He smiled and she then asked,  
"Does anyone know anything about the professors?"  
"Binns." Geoffrey laughed a bit. Remus laughed back. "He's the history of magic teacher. Most boring guy you'll ever meet. Amanda said that last year he was teaching he died. Didn't even realize it! He turned in to a ghost and just kept on teaching leaving he body right there in his chair!" Lily laughed with Ganelle who hadn't heard of the teacher either. "So are you a muggle born?" Geoffrey asked Lily.  
"yup. What about you?"  
"I'm half and half." He answered.  
"Pure blood." Remus muttered.  
"I'm Muggle born." Ganelle said. Lily smiled at her and she smiled back. The four of them gibbered on making small talk for an hour or so more then Jenny came back and said her a Lily should go back to their original compartment and change. "OK I'll see you three later then?" Lily asked.  
"I hope so." Geoffrey smiled. "Good luck at the sorting."  
"You too." She waved and left with Jenny.  
"Someone likes you!" She teased.  
"He does not!" Lily blushed.  
"Alright... sure."  
"How did things go with Danise?"  
"OK... she's a stubborn Bitch... but that's the way of people isn't it? I got all the others on my side with the help of Amanda so she had to give in."  
"Is she still going out with the guy?"  
"Yeah. She refuses to believe any of it is his fault."  
Lily rolled her eyes and laughed as they walked in to the compartment. Anna was asleep and Tom was playing cards. "Hey you two! Where have you been?"  
"We were just meeting other people."  
"Cool! Well better get our robes on right? One of you wake up Anna."  
They woke her up and had just put on their robes when they arrived at Hogsmeade train station. 


	7. Chapter seven

Chapter Seven: Punka The students arrived in the village of Hogsmeade and the first years sailed across the vast lake but shortly enough they were all in the great hall of Hogwarts and the school was working it's usual magic on the first years. All of them by now were gaping at the fantastic ceiling over head. Lily,  
Tom, Anna, Ganelle and Geoffrey were standing watching their soon to be class mates get sorted. When Lily's name was called, her friends around her wished her luck and she walked up to the stool and pulled the old hat down over her head.  
"ah... quite a difficult one aren't you? Intelligent, friendly and desperate to keep something hidden. But bravery I see is your main aspect. Maybe not now but defiantly later in life Bravery for love and this house will help you. Better be... GRYFFINDOR!"  
She smiled and removed the hat from her head, then walked grinning to the Gryffindor table. She looked over at the Ravenclaw table. Jenny smiled and tapped Amanda who was next to her. She noticed Lily and they both waved. Lily was waving back just as the sorting hat announced Ganelle being put in to Gryffindor. Lily cheered with the rest of her house as Ganelle sat next to her.  
"This is amazing!" She whispered in Lily's ear. Lily smiled and agreed.  
"I know!" The sorting continued and ended... Remus joined the two of them in Gryffindor along with seven other class mates. James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pittigrew, Raven Couser, Kelly Matolese, and Fran Stanting. Geoffrey was put in Ravenclaw and Tom and Anna were rightly so placed in Hufflepuff. Lily, Ganelle and Remus sat together Lily next to Ganelle with Remus across from her. Sitting next to Remus was Raven Couser who seemed to have been previously aquatinted with another house member named Peter Pittigrew. The group was soon aquatinted and rather friendly towards each other, Which caused them to be disappointed when they soon were told to go to their dorms to get sleep for the first day of school. Once in the dorms, they found themselves unable to go to sleep. The dorm had five girls, Lily, Ganelle, Raven, Kelly Matolese and Fran Stanting. Almost immediately after they entered their room they found themselves immersed in a conversation about their families until late hours of the night until finally they all fell peacefully asleep. The next mourning the five girls awoke and like lemmings followed each other down to the great hall. They were joined by Remus soon. "So how are they other guys in Gryffindor Remus?" "Pretty cool, I don't know... There's Peter who you already know. He's the sanest of them all I think. Sirius Black's quite a character, that's him over there" Remus pointed to the end of the table. The group of them turned there heads towards a boy with neat black hair and then all but one turned back to Remus. As Remus went on about the other guys in his dorm, Lily stared at the boy. He was familiar in a distant way. Like she has seen him in a dream.  
"Lily?" She heard from her left side. She snapped back in to reality and looked at Remus with a smile.  
"Hmm?"  
"You were in a completely different world Lil. Where were you?" Lily glanced back at Sirius and nodded in his direction,  
"He's cute wouldn't you say?" They all looked at her for a moment then Raven said,  
"Guess you could say that. We should get to our first class. We don't even know where it is." They all nodded in agreement but Lily said,  
"Hang on." She turned towards the Ravenclaw able and noticed Amanda and Jenny were quite near her. "Jenny!" She called and Jenny looked up. She smiled as she saw Lily and stood to come talk to her.  
"A little help is required see we don't know where to go..."  
"No problem Lil' manda come on your little brother needs help!" Jenny said. Soon Amanda and Jenny were leading the large group of people hanging around Lily to their first period defense against the dark arts class.  
"So are you guys all good with Danise?" Lily asked while they were walking.  
"Yes all back to normal. What about you? What's been going on? Looks like you have quite a crowd hanging around you."  
"Yeah... well they're not Tom and Anna but I do my best." She replied sarcastically. Both girls laughed and stopped walking.  
"Your class." Jenny motioned towards the door to the left.  
"Thanks. So I'll see you later maybe?"  
"Maybe"  
  
"Ah the first days end with great success wouldn't you say?" Ganelle asked stretching out on one of the arm chairs in the common room. Lily let out a snort of laughter,  
"If you call two essay's due tomorrow a success."  
"Well if you're a fast writer it is!"  
"Well I'm not a fast writer." Ganelle laughed a little.  
"Look." She said tapping Lily on the shoulder. Lily follow her gaze and found nothing "What?" She asked.  
"There. Look it's James and Sirius." Lily looked again and this time noticed Sirius and smiled. Ganelle watched her and noted out loud "You have a thing for him."  
"I don't!" Lily countered, "He looks familiar that's all." Ganelle smiled "Sure... I'll ask Remus to get some info on him. Although he didn't look all that well after lunch today and I haven't seen him since. Do you think he's alright?" Lily nodded "I'm sure he'll be fine. I'm going to go put some of this stuff away." She said and walked up the stairs to the girls first years dorms. Went she got in she found an owl on her night stand with a letter in it's talons.  
"Thanks." She muttered to it as she took the letter. She sat on her bed and read,  
Lily,  
Congratulations on getting into Gryffindor! I would have thought Ravenclaw but what do I know? So I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with Anna and me sometime. Maybe Friday? Owl me back! -Tom Lily sighed and took out a quill and some parchment. She was just about to write Tom on the top but instead she scribbled down Dear mum, Petunia and dad, all is fantastic here. You should see this place it's amazing! I can't describe it a letter I'll have to tell you all about it over Christmas break. The classes I'm taking are quite out of the ordinary... History of magic, potions, Charms, Transfigurations. It's all very overwhelming. Wow when we got here we were sorted in to houses. There are four of them and your put in them according to your personality! I was placed in Gryffindor, home of the courageous. I've seen Tom a couple times but he isn't in my house. I met a couple nice people. Jenny and Amanda are third years. They showed me around. And Amanda's brother Remus is nice... and Ganelle and Raven are a few other people I've met. I guess I was just writing to say I'm here! It's all real. Love Lily She pocketed the note and made a mental note to ask Jenny how to get hold of an owl tomorrow. Shortly after she laid down and fell asleep.  
  
"OK Lil' I have some interesting stuff for you." Remus said plopping in to an arm chair next to Lily that Friday afternoon.  
"Stuff?"  
"Information... about Sirius." Lily blushed and nodded him on. "OK he's a pure blood but he likes muggleborns and muggles. His dad is a teacher at a muggle school and his mom died at his birth. His best friend is James Potter. They've been friends since they were born basically. And he's noticed you out and about."  
"Noticed me?" Lily asked excited.  
"Yup he's noticed you." Lily smiled then looked around nervously and said,  
"Thanks Remus. I think I'm gonna go to the library. See you at dinner." Lily got up and left the common room. "It's not as if I like him... I just recognize him." She muttered to herself. When she reached the library she grabbed a random book off the many selves and sat at a table to read. Well... that was her intention, to read, but she really ended up thinking. Was it right that she was completely forgetting about Rose when she was around her new friends? Had Petunia forgiven her yet? It given the choice would she go back to her old life or stay here. "Excuse me." A voice said from next to her. She looked up from the book she wasn't reading to the face of an old classmate. "Josh?" She muttered, the boy looked at her confused,  
"Josh? My name's Severus, Severus Snape... what's yours?" Lily stared at him oddly for a moment then shook her head,  
"Oh sorry! You looked like an old friend of mine. Lily Evens is i... me... I am..." He was smiling and when she noticed this she laughed and began again, "I'm Lily Evans."  
"Well Lily Evans may I say that you are the slowest reader in the world?" Confused Lily asked, "What?" He gestured towards the book in front of her.  
"That's the only copy of that book in the Library. Did you know you've been on the first page for the last four hours?"  
"Four hours?!" Lily asked.  
"Yeah. I've been sort of waiting for the book, while doing other research."  
"Oh wow I'm sorry, here take it." She said pushing the book towards him slightly embarrassed.  
"So tell me, what had you entertained with this page so long?" Lily looked at curiously and answered a bit nervously,  
"Oh you know... stuff?" He chuckled at this remark and said,  
"All right. Keep your secrets. It was nice to have met you Lily Evens." With this he stood and left the library. For a long time after words she stared in to the space he had left from then finally she turned her gaze back to the table in front of her. She noticed he had left the book and took note of the title. Punka. It was called. She went to the Librarian and asked where the book went and she pointed to the novel section. Lily found it odd that Severus would need a novel named Punka so badly but she shrugged it off as she looked for it's spot. When she found it she laughed to herself. A vacant spot for the book was right in front of her surrounded by a copy of Punka and another copy of Punka. She smiled to herself as the realization hit her that it wasn't the book Severus had taken interest in. 


	8. Chapter eight

Chapter eight: In the firelight Lily Evans was in Gryffindor and therefore saw Severus everyday during class. She had to admit that she had never noticed him before the serendipity event in the library and now she realized it hadn't made much of a difference. It was now the beginning of October and Lily was still awaiting a second glance from him. 'I read too far in to him.' she told her self as she walked from her potions class with Remus and Ganelle. "Lil' what are you planning on doing tonight?" Remus asked"Homework..." She answered, "why?""Well, James and Sirius found the way in to the kitchens and Sirius wanted to know if you two wanted to go there for dinner instead of the great hall. The service is better and you'd love the house elves.""Elves huh? I guess I could come. Are you coming?" She asked Ganelle, who nodded. The three continued on towards the Gryffindor tower until they heard a voice from behind them squeal, "Oh Lily! Lily, Lily, Lily!" Lily sighed and closed her eyes in distress before putting on a fake smile and turning to see Anna running towards her with Tom close behind. "Lily oh my gosh hi! It's been far too long, just, oh so far too long!""Yeah!" Lily agreed trying to sound ecstatic."You didn't right back to my note." Tom said looking a little hurt."Oh I told him you were probably just busy" Anna assured Lily before she got a chance to see her. Lily looked at Tom who was looking at the ground."Yeah... I was busy. I'm sorry I didn't write back. I meant too." It looked as if Anna were going to respond but Tom cut in saying,"Don't worry about it. We have to go." And with that he pulled Anna away from a snickering Remus and Ganelle and a dumbfounded Lily."wow, Lily. You really chose the wrong compartment." Ganelle snickered, putting her arm around Lily shoulder. "Trust me, I know." and the three of them continued to the Gryffindor tower."Alright. Ready to go then?" James asked Sirius, Lily, Ganelle, Raven and Remus that night around dinner time. Lily smiled and nodded with the rest of the group and so they quickly and quietly made their way down to the kitchens. Remus, Lily found, was right about the service. I was very good down there. When they arrived they were served their own mini private banquet. "So how many detentions have to guys had so far?" Ganelle asked James and Sirius early on in the meal."Nine or Ten." James shrugged and Sirius nodded."Nine of ten?!" Lily asked astounded. "What did you guys do?""The normal." Sirius replied, "Staying out after hours, trying to get in the restricted section. Just little kid stuff. We'll get better, I promise." He winked at her. Ganelle caught her eye and Lily smiled back. "So Lily, where do you live?" James asked her after a bit of silence making her jump."Uh, Fieldcrest, England." She replied."Fieldcrest. I've been there. Where abouts do you live?""Uh... do you know the Elementary school?" she asked him, starting to get a little uncomfortable. He nodded so she continued, "I live down the round from there, what about you? Were do you live?" She asked rather quickly. He seemed rather disappointed that the conversation had turned to him but went along with it anyway,"London." He replied. And so the evening continued, everyone getting to know each other a little better, and the four of them eventually returning to the common room around eleven that night. When they got back Lily, Raven and Ganelle tiptoed up to their rooms and got in to bed. Lily lied looking at the top of her bunk for a while before realizing she really wasn't tired, so she got up, put her bathrobe on and went back downstairs to the common room. When she arrived at the bottom of the stairs, she noticed Sirius was down there looking in to the fire. Her looked at her as he entered and motioned for her to come take a seat next to him. She complied and was therefore not long after, sitting in the seat next to Sirius. "Not tired?" He asked, she smiled and shook her head,"In the least." "Me neither." They were silent for a moment then he asked, "Do you like watching the fire?" Lily glanced at him, than back at the fire and replied,"Yeah." He nodded"Me too. It sort of calms me." Again they were silent for awhile then he continued, "If you ever can't sleep come on down here. I'll more then likely be here.""You're down here a lot?" She asked."Almost every night. My dad used to make fires at my house. He'd sit there for hours just watching it and I never had much else to do so I sat with him. I guess I'm kinda homesick with out it." Lily nodded in understanding. "Did you say you live in Fieldcrest?" He asked."Yeah."Sirius nodded knowingly and said, "My dad loves Fieldcrest. He brought me there every Saturday to a little cafe. There wasn't anything special about it that I could see. He said there was something about the people." Lily nodded to show she was listening. "Do you like living in Fieldcrest Lily?" He asked a minute or so later. She thought about it for a minute then answered,"I did yes." He smiled at her and said,"That's good." A little while later, Lily began to feel tired and stood to get ready to go to sleep. She said goodnight to Sirius and just before she went up the stairs, Sirius said,"Lily..." She turned towards him and said,"Yes?" He was still staring at the fire but she could tell he was smiling when he said,"Remus tells me to have a 'thing' for me." She blushed but his face was turned so she tried to think of something to say. All that came out, was "o-oh?"He chuckled a little and said, "Don't worry. I wont tell anyone." Lily smiled and turned again saying,"Goodnight Sirius," Before climbing up the stair case.  
  
With in the next week, Lily received another owl from Tom and Anna which she again chose not to respond too, and an owl from Jenny asking if she wanted to meet her at the library on Friday which was what Lily was on the way to do right then."Lily Hey!" Jenny said when she saw her coming. They both sat down at a library table as Lily greeted her friend."Hey, how's Amanda?""She good. And get this, the guy remember Danish's boy friend?" Lily nodded, "He dumped her. He made this big deal out of it too, in the Ravenclaw common room. It was the biggest scandal. Absolutely fantastic. Turns out he had been going out with some 5th year chick for a year." Lily's eyes widened."Really?""Yup! And he only went out with Danise on a bet. Everyone one felt so bad for her. She just sulked around, didn't even go to classes! but she eventually had to go back because she got two detentions for skipping. I just love the dramatic year this is turning out to be.""So are you guy friends or not?" Lily asked."We're friends. Granted she thinks it's my fault they broke up but what ever." Jenny shrugged. "So what's new with you?" The two of them talked like this for a half an hour or so when Jenny said she had to go meet Amanda and that she'd owl her again soon. So Lily sat alone at the table in the library. With her chin lean on her hand she just sat with her eyes closed for a moment until she remembered something. "Punka" She whispered and then stood quite suddenly and walked to the novel section. She was in the mood to read. 


	9. Chapter nine

Chapter Nine:  
"What are you doing?" A young muggle woman of about thirty-five asked a man of around the same ago who was kneeling in the middle of a garden in Paris, with a bag to his left. Immediately taken by the woman. The man stood to meet her eyes.  
"Hello." He said coarsely.  
"So you do speak English then?" She confirmed, smiling a little. He nodded and she repeated her first question. "What are you doing here?"  
He cleared his throat and took hold of the bag. "I'm collecting rose petals."  
The woman rose her eyebrows, "Why?" She asked.  
"Come with me. I want to show you something." The man said slyly, beckoning her forward. And for reasons unknown to either of them, she followed the man. They walked through the gardens and as they walked, the man asked her, "Why are you in Paris?"  
She sighed and said "Because my name haunts me in my hometown. It's like people there hear it and immediately they think, 'is that this happened to?' And 'Is she the one that did that?' It's a curse I didn't care to live with anymore."  
The man nodded. "I get it. So what is your name?"  
She smiled and studied him carefully, "Esor Azile." She answered softly.  
"Eliza Rose." He recited back. "That's a beautiful name."  
She looked at him confused but they had obviously reached the mans destination because he was motioning for her to sit down the bench of a large fountain in the center of the park.  
"Have you got a recent cut anywhere?" He asked. "Like on your arm or something."  
"On my arm. Why?" She asked. He didn't answer but she thought nothing of it. She was studying his movements closely. He motioned for her arm and she allowed him to grab it. He looked at the arm which had a cut midway up then his gaze wandered to the bag of rose petals. He held a hand of his under her arm and used his other, to get a petal from his bag. When he retrieved one, he gently placed it over her cut and held it in place with his thumb. Using his hand as a sort of cut, he dipped it in to the fountain and dripped some of the cold water over the rose petal.  
"When you had a cut when you were little, did your mother ever tell you she'd kiss it and make it better. And even though it sounded ridiculous it always seemed to help anyway."  
She regarded him curiously then answered, "She did that yes. What's your point."  
While they were talking he had been rubbing the wet rose pedal over her cut lightly but now after she asked him this, he removed the petal. "H-how?" Eliza stuttered as she looked at her arm in disbelief. The rose petal had left a soft toned lip print and the cut... Was nonexistent.  
"The rose petal has magical qualities." The man said softly, gathering his things getting ready to leave. "It's got healing qualities." He began walking off as the sun was going down, illuminating him in golden light. He paused in his stride and with his back still turned he told her, and she just barely caught what he said before he started again.  
"They call it, The kiss of the rose."  
  
Lily paused in her reading to examine her surroundings. She blinked a few times to get everything in focus then stood. She was still in the library but a lot less people were there then when she had arrived. It was starting to get dark.  
"It's probably almost dinner." She muttered to her self as she gathered her things. She shoved the copy of Punka she had taken out into her bag and began out of the library. As she was walking back to the common room, she stepped into earshot of what sounded like an argument. From what she could here it sounded like,  
"Give it back Redsing, I'm not going to tell you again."  
"What are you gonna do about it huh Potter? Throw a book at me."  
"Come on they're not worth it John let's go."  
"Stop being so weak Snape."  
Lily's breath caught in her chest when she heard Severus' name mentioned. Not completely interested in missing a chance to see him, she sped up. As she rounded the corner she was just in time to see Sirius backing up with James' and his own wand in his hand. Obviously they were the stolen objects. James and some other kid she assumed to be John Redsing were fighting on the ground and Severus Snape was watching the whole scene slightly discussed. When he saw Lily he frowned a bit, looked at Sirius, then at the two boys engaged in combat. He went forward and grabbed hold of Redsing while Sirius grabbed James and between the two of them pulled them apart. When Redsing was standing again, he shoved away from Severus. He had a bloody nose and a black eye. He glared at James how had almost identical bruises then stalked off with Snape following him. When they were gone Lily ran over to James and asked,  
"Are you alright." He looked at her surprised as if he hadn't noticed her before and nodded his head at her. "I'm fine."  
She smiled at him and then at Sirius who looked at her worried,  
"Those guys have never bothered you before have they?"  
"No." She answered. "Why?"  
James sighed, "They're both idiots. Promise you wont ever approach them. Then we'll know you're safe."  
"Severus Snape didn't seem so bad." She pointed out remembering that he had helped pull them apart.  
"Snape? He's the one that took the wands to begin with. He knows a lot of dark magic."  
"He's not the sort you'd want to befriend. He could turn on you at any second." Sirius muttered shaking his head.  
"I don't want you to get hurt. Try to avoid him if you can OK?" James asked.  
Lily smiled nervously at him and nodded her head in agreement.  
"Promise?" He asked.  
"I promise." She said weakly. 


	10. Chapter ten

Chapter ten: Tear Although Lily didn't yet know enough to agree with James and Sirius' rule of not talking to Severus, she was not the type of girl to approach near strangers anyway. She wasn't about to just go up and talk to Severus. Months went by and she had no trouble conveniently not talking to her mysterious Slytherin. It was true that once in a while she'd notice that her gaze unconsciously rested on the handsome raven hair colored boy during potions, but an occasional gaze never killed anyone right? December came around and Lily was one of the few Gryffindors who had decided to stay for the break. Ganelle was the only other in the houses tower. So together they waved off their friends a couple days before Christmas than began walking back up to the castle. "Oh... Blast." Ganelle said sounding quite irritated when they had reached the great hall.  
"You all right?" Lily asked as Her friend stopped an looked around her.  
"I've dropped one of my gloves." Ganelle answered. "You continue on, I'll just go back and have a look around to see if I can find it."  
"Are you sure you don't want my help?" Lily asked gazing around at the ground near them in an effort to help.  
"No that's fine. Go on ahead. I'll catch up later." She said running back off towards the gates. Lily shook her head, shrugged than began strolling towards the Gryffindor tower. She was nearly there, when a hand reach out from somewhere to her left and pulled her quite unexpectedly into an empty classroom. After quickly regaining her footing she looked to see the face of her captor and relaxed, smiling.  
"What was that for?" She asked, not the least bit of irritation in her tone. Severus smiled back at her and answered in a teasing tone.  
"Well, Lily Evans, It's just that the last time we spoke I seem to remember catching you quite off guard. I thought it only suitable that I live up to the same greeting." Lily smiled "Oh really?" She asked matching his toying tone. She wished that she could stop smiling and at least fake a strait face. But any attempt to do this was found hopeless. She simply couldn't help it. She was thrilled to talk to him again.  
"So are you ready to tell me what was on your mind the last time we talked?" He asked "You expect me to remember?" She asked, poking him flirtatiously. "That was in September. If you wanted an accurate account you should had made an attempt to talk to me sooner." She faked at a move to leave but was blocked by Severus arm. He leaned down to meet her eyes and asked,  
"And for not doing so I'm sorry. Will you ever forgive me?" They stared at each other seriously for a moment, then Severus broke in to a smile. With this smile Lily too followed suit and answered,  
"That might be arranged." Severus stared admirably at her for a moment than said.  
"Good. You just think about that for awhile then. I should definitely be off, and your friend will be looking for you. I hope to see you again Lily Evans. Happy Christmas." He said this and walked through the door leaving Lily leaning against the wall of the empty Defense Against the Dark arts classroom, grinning from ear to ear. She whispered after him, though he was a long way out of ear shot,  
"And you too. Severus Snape."  
  
"Lily. Explain how it's possible that I got to the common room before you and I had to go all the way back out side."  
Lily smiled at her friend not really listening, "Did you find your glove?" She asked.  
Ganelle sighed, "Yes. Now please wake up. You're not very easy to talk to like this."  
"I'm not asleep." Lily muttered Now Ganelle laughed. "OK. Who is he?" Lily looked surprised at her comment, "He who?"  
"The guy. It's obvious there is one. I know it can't be Sirius, he's not here. Who is it?"  
"There is no guy! I swear." Lily defended herself.  
"Is it a Ravenclaw or a Hufflepuff. Oh! Or is it a Slytherin? Lily do you like a Slytherin?"  
"There is no guy!" "Yeah well it doesn't matter if you tell me now. I'll find out eventually."  
"There's nothing to find out." Lily said sitting down. Ganelle sat next to her and smiled a knowing smile when Lily again whispered. "There's nothing to find out."  
  
"I'm going to the Library." Lily told Ganelle a day or so after Christmas. Ganelle nodded to show she had heard her and so Lily left the room. Mind wandering, Lily didn't notice nor care when she took a wrong turn and began going in the opposite direction of the library. She moved up quite a few stair cases, through some mysterious hallways and though many doors. Finally she stopped and gazed curiously at the wall ten or so feet away from her. It looked as if it was reflecting quite a bright golden light. She slowly and quietly stepped around the corner. The thing which met her gaze was far from anything she had expected to run into. Before her lay a portrait of a golden stag surrounded by dark thick woods. She stepped closed, entranced by the noble things beauty. She still couldn't believe her eyes five steps away from the picture, not two steps away and not one step away. In fact the closer she got the more amazing it got until she could go no further and she was traveling... She was traveling inside the picture... Back... Back further and further into time itself.  
When she sensed that she had stopped moving, she was in her room at her parents house. Rose, Petunia and herself were in their own beds and chatting with each other. Lily remembered this day. She looked expectedly at her face. She was seven years old. She remembered it well. A tear streamed over her cheek.  
"Why are you crying Lily?" Rose asked her.  
"Because I think we might not always be friends." She replied. Petunia sat up in shock at that statement and said "We'll always be best friends. Forever and ever!" She cried. Rose went over to Petunia and hugged her. She waved Lily over too and the three of them were hugging on the bed. "Oh course we'll always be friends." Rose whispered to Petunia rocking her back and forth. "Promise?" Petunia asked. "I promise" Rose said.  
"Lily?" Petunia begged for confirmation.  
"I promise too. We'll always be friends. Forever and ever."  
The scene transformed to a dark wood. Lily looked around. She didn't remember this ever happening and though maybe this would be happening in the future but she didn't have time to think about that because just then the same golden stag walked slowly out of the wood. "Don't be frightened." It said in a deep but feminine voice. Lily stared at it. "I'm not." She replied as if in a dream. Now before her eyes, the stag was changing. It seconds later, in it's place was a woman. A middle height beautiful woman with a shimmering full length formfitting golden gown. She had a clear complexion and strait dark brown hair to her waist. "My name is Tear." The woman told her in the deep voice. "Mine is Lily." Lily whispered. "Why am I here?"  
"Because you want to be here." "How do you know?" Lily asked.  
"Because if you didn't want to be here. You wouldn't be."  
"But I don't even know where here is." Lily said.  
"Yes you do. But it's time for you to go back. You should be at the library." Tear transformed back into a golden stag and walked off into the woods. When she was out of sight Lily began to feel the sensation of moving again. As colors flew by her she heard an echo it said 'I promise too. We'll always be friends. Forever and ever.' She was now back in the library and she noticed Ganelle walking towards her.  
"We should go eat." She told Lily. Lily nodded and stood, following her out slowly, a golden tear running down her cheek. 


	11. Chapter eleven

Chapter Eleven: Just Mutterings All of you I'm sure have at one time or another had to deal with an obsession of some sort. An obsession that made you forget near everything else going on in your life or anyone else's. Years afterwards when you were over whatever it happened to be you'd think, what was the big deal? What caused my obsession? Why the hell did I waste so much time on it? The young lady and stag, named Tear in the tapestry was Lily Evans' obsession for the next two and a half months. From January first to well in to the middle of March she barely existed at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She barely said a word to anyone and when she did it was only to Raven. It wasn't until March 15th that Lily started realizing what was happening. Professor McGonagall called her down to her office one Thursday afternoon.  
"Professor McGonagall?" Lily said quietly as she as she walked in to her transfiguration teachers office. Her teacher looked up and recognition stretched across her face. "Ah, miss Evans yes sit down please." She said gesturing towards the chair in front of her desk. Lily complied. "I suppose you are aware of why you are here?" She asked seriously.  
Lily looked nervously at her and in a confused but firm manner, "No professor... Am I in trouble?" The woman across from her sighed and removed her spectacles, "I am, to say the very least, very worried with the status of your grades in my classroom."  
Lily looked very surprised at what she had said as if it was the last thing she had expected to here and asked quite seriously, "Is there something wrong with them?"  
McGonagall, with this remark looked equally as surprised as her student had moments before, "Miss Evans have you not noticed that you've not gotten and grade above a D for the past two weeks?"  
Lily shook her head in shock and stuttered out, "A-ah-ah D?" She looked down, her mouth gangling open, "H-how? W-when?" She felt her eyes start to moisten as tears were no doubt began formulating. "How could I not have noticed... Surly it's just Transfiguration." She muttered looking up are her professor.  
"My dear... This is why I called you down, your grades are the same in all of your classes. I, and the remainder of your teachers are very worried about you. Is something wrong dear? I mean has something happened to you lately that you are not telling us? We just wish to understand Miss Evans." McGonagall said softly. Lily panicked, she couldn't tell her about the stag because she was sure she wouldn't let her go back but she couldn't tell her nothing so she did the only thing she could think to do, she let her tears come out and began sobbing. "I-I'm s-sorry professor. M-my h-head has been s-somewhere else lately I j-just miss her s-so much." McGonagall came around her desk and put a hand on Lily's shoulder handing her a tissue and asked very gently, who do you miss?" After a few moments Lily looked in to her eyes and whispered, "My sister Rose professor. She died over the summer."  
  
Professor McGonagall, to Lily's relief took that story with out question and gave her the following day off so she could have that day and the weekend to catch up on some of her work. And work she did. She found it an immense relief to be working again and continuously taking her mind off the beautiful tapestry. In fact she even joined a conversation for the first time in months. She was planning on going to the library on Saturday evening and was walking out of her dormitory catching a bit of a conversation close by.  
"I don't know, dung bombs aren't very original... I was thinking something new and fun..." She heard a boy she recognized immediately as James Potter say.  
"Like what?" Her assumed crush from a few months ago asked.  
He smirked quite slyly, "Why not try it muggle style for once? We could always throw pies at them. We've got passage into the kitchen haven't we?"  
"Oh not James that could get the elves in trouble couldn't it? For giving you the pies?" Ganelle asked.  
"Nah... I doubt it'd even cross their minds to blame elves. They'd be to busy trying to figure out who did it."  
"How are we planning on not getting caught?" Remus asked curiously.  
"A diversion bro!" Sirius said slapping Remus on the back causing him to cross out half the work he'd been doing when his quill skidded across the paper. "Sorry..." Sirius said seeing the damage he'd created.  
"No problem..." Remus sighed and pulled out a fresh sheet and began copying the work over. "What sort of diversion?" Raven asked,  
"Peeves probably." James said leaning back with his hands behind his head. "But that still doesn't stop the eye witnesses that you drop the pies on from reporting you."  
"Yeah." Sirius said matter of factually. "We thought of that. Just can't figure out what to do about it." "What about a levitation spell? Wingardium Leviosa or something." Lily said quite suddenly walking in to view of the group. And making them all jump again causing Remus' pen to slip causing him to cross out his work yet again. "Oh for heaven's sake." She muttered when she noticed this. She took out her wand pointed it at his paper and said "Clareo" The new line vanished leaving his work as it was before she joined the group.  
"Thanks Lily" Remus said. She began to smile but then Ganelle stood, looking at her and saying "She speaks." Sarcastically, "decided to come out of your cave have you?"  
"Ganelle stop" Raven said.  
"Why? She shouldn't be here. Not after she hasn't talked to us for over two months." "Hey, I'm really sorry about that..." Lily said sincerely,  
"Oh, yeah? Prove it." Ganelle said.  
"Ganelle, come on she said sorry." James said. "I don't think she would have said it if she didn't mean it."  
"Right you are mate." Sirius said agreeing with James. "I think you a little off G'nelly"  
But apparently Ganelle didn't think she was off, she stormed off to the dorm and wouldn't talk to Lily when she went to bed that night or the following day. But she was pleased that James, Raven, Sirius, Peter and Remus seemed to have accepted the fact that she had needed some time to herself the past few weeks and now she was sorry and wanted to be sociable again. In fact James, Sirius, Remus and Peter who it seemed had become very good friends while she was... Off did use the levitation spell Lily had suggested and allowed her to help Peter and Remus master it while Sirius and James who were already very good at it were sneaking pies up to the dormitories a few at a time. The group of the four boys, it turned out had found quite a few secret passages and short cuts in their travels of the school and had one masterfully located near the top of the stair case in the great hall in which the could hide in while they levitated their half a dozen pies over top of the students and dropped them on their heads at a planned time. The plan in fact worked quite well. They were quickly caught and ended up in detention for a week, but plenty of Slytherins were pied during the process so it was considered a success none the less. Several weeks later, Lily sent word by owl asking Jenny if she could meet her in the Library sometime soon. Jenny ran up to her in the great hall the next morning yelling at her for sending an owl instead of just talking to her herself and said she'd meet her in the library today after her last class. So Lily sat waiting in the library after her last class that day looking anxiously for the first friend she had made at Hogwarts. "Lil'!" Jenny squealed very quietly as she entered the library so as to avoid a freakish glance from the librarian. Lily stood as Jenny greeted her with a tight hug. "Where've you been girl? I've been worried that you heard a nasty rumor about me and decided not to talk to me any more. Which wouldn't be completely unusual but completely depressing all the same... So what's been going on?"  
Lily smiled relieved to see Jenny hadn't changed much, "I've been really... Off lately." "Oh don't worry about it... I know how off feels. I've been there girl trust me." She smiled. "So Amanda says hi."  
"Great!" Lily said enthusiastically "How is she." "Oh same old, same old." Jenny waved her hand as if the topic was so uninteresting it wasn't worth talking about. "What's been happening with you? Word got around that you're friends with Potter, Pittigrew, Black and Lupin. Is that true?"  
"Yeah." Lily answered, "I hang out with them." Jenny smiled, "Do you like any of them?" "Sure they're nice."  
"No hun, I mean like, like." Jenny continued smiling.  
"Oh... No" Lily said blushing a little.  
"Oh you will, you can't hang out with four guys too long and not like any of them... The time will come." She checked her watch, "Oh... I've got to dash! I'm tutoring some second year in charms. Don't wait two months before you talk to me again Lily... I'll check up on you soon!" She said and stood walking quickly from the Library.  
"See ya" Lily said smiling to her self. She leaned back and began thinking for a bit. It was good to be back and friends with people again. She had really missed Jenny. She thought back to the train ride coming to the school and laughed. What a trip it was where she had met Remus and Ganelle and Jenny and Jenny's friend also known as Remus' sister Amanda. There was another boy in that compartment... She couldn't remember his name though. It had been a good trip. And after all Remus had introduced her to James, Sirius and Peter. She smile when she thought of Sirius. Everyone thought she had a crush on him. Even he thought she had a crush on him. Did he still think so? Lily's eyes were beginning to droop. There was someone she was forgetting about... She put her arms on the table and her head on her arms. Someone she still hadn't talked to since January... Her eyes fluttered shut. The real person she had liked... She fell fast asleep.  
"Excuse me." A voice said from next to her. Lily looked up from a book she wasn't reading to the face of an old classmate. "Josh?" She muttered, the boy looked at her confused,  
"Josh? My name's Severus, Severus Snape... what's yours?" Lily stared at him oddly for a moment then shook her head,  
"Oh sorry! You looked like an old friend of mine. Lily Evens is i... me... I am..." .  
"Are you alright?" Lily asked James Potter in a very worried tone. He looked at her surprised as if he hadn't noticed her before and nodded his head at her. "I'm fine."  
She smiled at him and then at Sirius who looked at her worried,  
"Snape has never bothered you before has he?"  
"No." She answered. "Why?"  
James sighed, "He's an idiot. Promise you wont ever approach him. Then we'll know you're safe. Promise?"  
"I promise." She said weakly."That's the only copy of that book in the Library." Severus said to her. "Did you know you've been on the first page for the last four hours?"  
"Four hours?!" Lily asked.  
So tell me, what had you entertained with this page so long?" Lily looked at him curiously and answered a bit nervously,  
"Oh you know... stuff?" He chuckled at this remark. And said,  
"All right. Keep your secrets. It was nice to have met you Lily Evens.""So are you ready to tell me what was on your mind the last time we talked?" He asked "You expect me to remember?" She asked, poking him flirtatiously. "That was in September. If you wanted an accurate account you should have made an attempt to talk to me sooner."  
"And for not doing so I'm sorry. But I should definitely be off, and your friend will be looking for you. I hope to see you again Lily Evans. Happy Christmas." He said and walked through the door leaving Lily leaning against the wall of the empty Defense Against the Dark arts classroom, grinning from ear to ear. She whispered after him, though he was a long way out of ear shot,  
"And you too. Severus Snape."  
"Lily?"  
"Lily?"  
"LILY!"  
Lily jumped in her seat and gave a tiny scream.  
"Lil calm down it's just me."  
She looked over and saw Remus Lupin standing next to her. She frowned and said, "Remus"  
"You were sleeping. I walked by and noticed you were in here and came to say hi... But you were asleep."  
Lily looked around, she was still in the library from her meeting with Jenny. "Wow. What time is it?"  
"Not late." He said. "Only five."  
"Good." She sighed in relief. "I've got to do homework."  
"So are you going to the common room then?" He asked. She nodded and stood. "Er... Brilliant! Walk with me part way then wont you?" "Sure." She said. "Where are you going?"  
"Home eventually. But I'm on my way to the hospital wing right now. Madame Pomphrey's accompanying me to the train." He smiled a little, quite nervously it seemed to Lily.  
"Why are you going home?"  
Remus shifted uncomfortably as they began walking towards the exit of the library. "Er... My mums sick... I'm going to visit her."  
"Oh that's terrible Remus!" She said. "I'm sorry!"  
"Er... It's not too bad" He said rather sadly and not at all to Lily's surprise. If her mother was so sick that she was to be pulled out of school to visit her she'd be sad too.  
"Sorry..." She said, "But when do you think you'll be back?" "Two days I expect" He said now sound just plain old miserably.  
"Oh! Well that's soon"  
"Yeah." He said. "Well... Here's the hospital wing... I er... I guess I'll be seeing you." He waved to her and went in. "She waved back and walked towards the Gryffindor common room. She was nearly there when she was pulled quite curiously in to what seemed to be... A wall.  
"What the- James?"  
"The one and only!" he beamed. Sirius elbowed him and he said, "Oh yeah, where is Remus going?"  
"To visit his mum." She said. "She's ill. Why?"  
"Right you are mate! She's ill." Sirius said happily slapping her on the back."There you go bro." He was now talking to Lily. "He wouldn't lie to Lily. He's ill!"  
"Wait... lie? Why would he lie?" "He wouldn't. James here is just being weird."  
"Yeah..." James said half heartedly "he's just... He's just been leaving a lot... A lot..." He looked as though he had spaced out but he shook his head slowly and said. "Never mind, I'm sure he's fine!" He said and the three of them walked down to the Gryffindor common room. 


End file.
